A printer includes a processor and a replaceable ink cartridge includes a first integrated circuit (IC). The first IC contains print quality information and can be interfaced to the processor in a releasable manner. A printhead is interfaced to the processor and is configured to print ink supplied from the ink cartridge using the print quality information. A second IC is interfaced to the processor which, in turn, is configured to: count the number of drops of ink printed by the printhead, update a remaining drop count of the ink cartridge using the counted drops printed, and then write the updated remaining drop count to the second IC.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A printer comprising: a processor; a replaceable ink cartridge comprising a first integrated circuit (IC) containing print quality information and which is configured to be interfaced, in a releasable manner, to the processor; a printhead interfaced to the processor and which is configured to print ink supplied from the ink cartridge using the print quality information; and a second IC interfaced to the processor which, in turn, is configured to: count a number of drops of ink printed by the printhead, update a remaining drop count of the ink cartridge using the counted drops printed and then write an updated remaining drop count to the second IC each time a page has been printed.
2. A printer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to perform respective ink counts for a plurality of different ink types stored in the ink cartridge.
3. A printer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the printhead forms part of a replaceable printhead module which is interfaced, in a releasable manner, to the processor.
4. A printer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second IC, together with the processor, are configured to authenticate the first IC and therefore the ink cartridge.
5. A printer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processor comprises: an address, data and control bus; and an expander unit and a decoder unit each coupled to the bus and configured to respectively decompress a bi-level black layer and a contone layer of a page to be printed.
6. A printer as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the processor further comprises a halftoner/compositor unit which is coupled to the bus, and is configured to halftone the decompressed contone layer to form a bi-level cyan, yellow, magenta, and black (CYMK) layer and then composite the decompressed bi-level black layer over the bi-level CYMK layer to form a bi-level CYMK image of the page to be printed.
7. A printer as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the processor further comprises a printhead interface coupling the bus to the printhead so that the printhead can print the CYMK image.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
February 15, 2007
June 3, 2008
Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.